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ARRGH! BK5 is awsome but the sheath is pathetic, I'm mailing it back to Ethan!

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C

collecter

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Aug 21, 2002
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I resisted buying one of these knives for a long while but I recently pulled the trigger and today it came in the mail.

My first thoughts,

- WOW, this things cuts like a @#$%^&*!
- size is really nice. It feels smaller than I was expecting.
- weight is also nice and it feels lighter than I expected.
- balance is pretty good.
- I bought this to use for camping but it also gives confidcence that I could defend against a mountain lion.
- makes you feel like a samurai when your holding it!
- handle is too skinny. The BK2 handle feels better because of the thicker tang. I ordered liners to remedy.
- all black knife looks boring. I ordered micarts scales to remedy.

- sheath is pathetic. Ethan seriously, you can include a better sheath. If I was buying a made in China POS knife I would expect a sheath like this.

I'm going to mail this pathetic sheath back to you. And, I'm encouraging everyone else who isn't pleased with their sheath to mail there's back to you too. Hopefull they pile up and in front of your mail box and block your driveway so you can feel our pain.

But I love the knife!
 
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collecter said:
i resisted buying one of these knives for a long while but i recently pulled the trigger and today it came in the mail.

My first thoughts,

- wow, this things cuts like a @#$%^&*!
- size is really nice. It feels smaller than i was expecting.
- weight is also nice and it feels lighter than i expected.
- balance is pretty good.
- i bought this to use for camping but it also gives confidcence that i could defend against a mountain lion.
- makes you feel like a samurai when your holding it!
- handle is too skinny. The bk2 handle feels better because of the thicker tang. I ordered liners to remedy.
- all black knife looks boring. I ordered micarts scales to remedy.

- sheath is subpar as is expected from a factory sheath, ordered kydex/leather sheath to remedy.But i love the knife!

Sincerely,
me
Click to expand...

ftfy :)
 
Congrats on the 5 man. But to be honest I don't hate my 9 sheath. It works for me lol I know I am in the minority though.
 
collecter said:
- sheath is pathetic. Ethan seriously, you can include a better sheath. If I was buying a made in China POS knife I would expect a sheath like this.
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okay, seriously?

don't bother Ethan, he doesn't make the sheath. KaBar has it made for them, and designed it for the most part. Ethan went along with it, sure. it's an okay sheath. it's not a GREAT sheath.

if you like, you can pay $25-50 additional or more for your BK5 with a good sheath, just let me know?

basically, you paid nothing for that sheath, so just give it to someone that wants it. don't want it? i'll take it.
 
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Congrats on the blade but...the whole sheath thing is uncalled for. I have nothing against you brother, but that was over the line a bit IMHO. :thumbdn:

Like Bladite said, Ethan doesn't make the sheath. Heck, I'll take the dang thing if you hate it so much.
I must apologize, but that was a bit childish if you ask me...
 
now, let's keep the names down... a troll makes his own bed and poops in it for us to see :)
 
Bladite said:
now, let's keep the names down... a troll makes his own bed and poops in it for us to see :)
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pear.jpg
 
If you seriously don't want the sheath I would be more than happy to take it off your hands, but there is no reason to blame it's lower quality on the person who made such an awesome knife. And no one should ever be spoken to like that for something they have very little control over. It makes you seem very immature, which from your other postings that I've seen is not your norm.
 
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so, now that people have had a chance to vent ;)

to the OP:

o what exactly don't you like about the sheath? size? color? retention? shoddy stitching? poor materials? damaged on arrival?

o price? you paid about $70-75 for your BK5 with a sheath. in prior threads you expressed interest in the Junglas instead. that sells for maybe as low as $125 WITHOUT a sheath, and the sheath can cost as much as the BK5 with sheath. perhaps you were expecting... something more for $70-75? and please, don't go for a slightly lower price, it won't really prove a point: the junglas+sheath easily costs twice as much, more more.

o did a friend make fun of you for buying it? i've seen that happen. "you don't have a CUSTOM sheath. my sheath costs more than your knife, neener". was that it?

o were you expecting that someone would step forward and give you a better sheath?

o or perhaps you were expecting what? rage? something? KaBar probably will takes notes, and they do evolve the product, but imho, for the money, you got good vlaue. they're really not going to comment. provoking Ethan will really get you no where except his polite sadness that you are not 100% thrilled in product with his name attached (well, really, that's the knives; the sheaths are basically, again, freebies, imho).

o basically, no manufacturer ever expect one sheath to meet everyone's desires or expectations. what you get from KaBar is functional, robust for most uses, and safe, esp for carrying and transport. pretty much the same for any knife, esp in this value bracket. you want more? it's pretty standard to buy what you want.

o if you have done so already, we can point you at several talented sheath makers, who can custom make what you want. maybe one of them will accept your old sheath.

o or perhaps you can sell your BK5, even though you like the blade, and recoup most of your money, and buy a junglas/sheath system more suited to your needs.

feel free to speak your piece...
 
If you don't complain load enough they won't improve it, especially if people are buying it like I did.

The sheath is poorly designed, it's flimsy and it's oversized for the knife.

Take for example the plastic sheath for the MK1, the knife costs less yet it's sheath is excellent. The new BK2 sheath, excellent as well and its a good example of what results from enough complaints.

Why would I hold back my opinion? I earned my income and I choose how to spend it. If I'm not completely happy I'll express it. It's not personal.

Regarding the price, it's not relevant. If a company offers a product with two components they should be of equal "quality". In this case the knife is good but the sheath is poor. I would prefer the option to buy the knife without the sheath. That way there would be no waste on my part, less expense on Kabar's part, no shipping costs from china, less polution, etc, etc.

I contemplated paying more for the junglas so you could interpret that cost wasn't a factor. With the micarta scales and a new sheath they cost the same. Would I pay more for a BK5 knife with a sheath like the junglas, you bet I would and I will.
 
There are alot of guys in the becker forum that will make you a kydex or leather sheath........and they are excellent.
 
collecter said:
The new BK2 sheath, excellent as well and its a good example of what results from enough complaints.
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The new BK2 sheath is far from excellent, hell, I thought about asking around for a 1st gen BK2 sheath, just for the balance of it, but that doesn't matter, because BK&T knives are designed to be modified, sheath included, and the only reason there is a sheath to go with the knives, is so people have someplace to start. I'm not saying the BK5/7 sheath is any good, but don't say it should be equal to the knife, regardless of the price, it is a starting point, not a be all end all sheath, if you don't like it then go pay another $30-$250 for a new/custom sheath, but there is no reason to think it has to come with a perfect sheath. Yes enough complaining gets a new sheath made, but enough POSITIVE feedback and constructive criticism gets a BETTER sheath made, so don't go around saying is a POS without giving, in a proper and polite manner, why you think it's a POS, trust me, I would probably think the same thing, and I would most definitely say it, but I'm not even out of highschool yet and I know that being polite about something, even something negative, gets better, faster, and more ideal results than whining and b****ing ever will.

collecter said:
Why would I hold back my opinion? I earned my income and I choose how to spend it. If I'm not completely happy I'll express it. It's not personal.
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No one is saying you should hold back your opinion, nor that you didn't earn your income. Nor did anyone tell you how to spend it, and yes, if your not completely happy it is your God given right to say so, but it is also your, and everyone's, obligation to do so with respect, and it should be directed at the people who have the final say in it, not someone who said yes to a half decent sheath. If it weren't at least able to take a beating then I'm sure Mr. Becker would have said no, redo it.

So all I'm asking, and all anyone (correct me if I'm wrong) here is asking, is please be a little more polite and specific about it, and don't attack someone for something you don't know is their fault.

And if you don't like the stock sheath and money is not an issue, like Flexxx said, there are tons of custom leather and kydex sheath makers here, Godspeed, Skystorm, Azwelke and a whole bunch of others make pieces of art in kydex and leather, there are plenty of universal aftermarket sheaths around, spec-ops and spartan make some nice ones, there are even more custom sheath makers other places on the internet as well. Or, you could do yourself one better and start making your own sheaths, which is I believe how 99% of custom sheath makers got started.
 
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